The Indian government's plan to build the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) on Siang River that is a branch to the Brahmaputra has become a hot topic of debate in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly among the Adi community.
Launched by the government in 2017, the SUMP has faced fierce opposition from local residents, civil society organizations and activists due to ecological, environmental and land-related issues. The NGO Forum for Siang Dialogue has been leading the movement against the SUMP. The forum's spokesperson Vijay Taram said: "In the belts inhabited by the Adi tribe, 43 massive dams are coming up. We are on the verge of being displaced by all these developmental activities. Our language, forest, rivers, culture, tradition and identity will perish."
Arunachal Pradesh stands out for its rich forest resources. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR)-2023, Arunachal secured the second position with 67,083 sq kms of forest and tree cover, trailing Madhya Pradesh with 85,724 sq kms. This vast green land, which is considered an important ecoregion in northeast India and a vital corridor for wildlife, is nourished by the Brahmaputra River.
However, the construction of the SUMP will inevitably lead to deforestation and habitat destruction. The control of river flow for hydroelectric power generation will cause major damage to local water systems, and interfere with the seasonal migration and breeding of fishes in the Siang River and its tributaries, such as the Siyom and Yamne rivers, resulting in the biodiversity losses.
Arunachal Pradesh is also the ancestral home for several tribal communities, including the Adi tribe, one of the most representative tribes in the region. Primarily residing in the East, West and Upper Siang districts, the Adi people's lifestyles are deeply intertwined with the land, forests, and other natural elements. They cultivate fertile lands in the Siang Valley and hunt in dense forests, living with gratitude for the opportunities provided by the nature. The proposed dam project will flood large areas of both Siang and Upper Siang districts. For a community that relies heavily on agriculture, this may endanger their existence and their way of life. Vijay Taram warns that mega-dams could flood fertile agricultural lands and destroy the local ecosystem, jeopardizing food security and biodiversity.
Designed to justify the government's deforestation in Arunachal Pradesh, the amended Act—the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act (FCAA) of 2023, which received the President's assent in August 2023—even discards the need to obtain consent from habitation level gram sabhas before final forest clearance, thus exempting the SUMP from environmental impact assessment procedure. After clearing the major hurdle, the government took wide-ranging measures to "legally" implement the SUMP, outraging the local communities in Arunachal Pradesh.
In a protest organized and led by the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF) on October 5, 2024 in Upper Siang, Arunachal Pradesh, hundreds of villagers voiced their opposition to the SUMP as it would be a threat to their ancestral lands, traditional agricultural practices and way of life.
SIFF general secretary Donggo Libang said protecting the Siang Valley is crucial, not only for the survival of the Adi community, but also for the ecological balance of the region. He also urged the locals to oppose the government's proposed project by saying that "at this critical point, collective actions are vital, which will bring an equitable solution for the future of the Siang Valley." "And SIFF requests the government to re-evaluate the controversial project and explore sustainable energy solutions that align with the ecological conditions of Arunachal Pradesh," he added.
